Characteristics of Soy-Based Kefir with the Addition of Ajwa Date Juice
Abstract
Soybeans and their derivatives, such as soy milk, have attracted researchers' attention due to their nutritional value—particularly the presence of bioactive compounds and associated health benefits—and their potential for use in fermented non-dairy products like kefir. However, soybean kefir often has lower sensory acceptability, particularly in taste, which can be improved by adding ajwa date juice. This study evaluated the effects of different concentrations of ajwa date juice (30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, and 50%) on the physical, chemical, microbiological, antioxidant, and sensory characteristics of soybean kefir. A completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications was applied, followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test when significant differences were observed. The addition of ajwa date juice significantly affected (α = 0.05) physical properties, pH, total titratable acidity, protein content, microbiological quality, hedonic attributes (texture, aroma, and taste), and sensory scores. The 45% ajwa date juice treatment produced the best overall quality by improving the characteristic sour taste of soybean kefir, with results comparable to the 50% treatment. The selected kefir exhibited an antioxidant activity (IC₅₀) of 7,917.29 ppm and a total flavonoid content of 0.3138 mg QE/g, indicating the presence of bioactive compounds despite relatively weak antioxidant activity.
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